Our Days at Dear Old Shiz
by Elphie Bubble
Summary: A more in depth look at Galinda's, Elphaba's, and the rest of the gang's time at Shiz. [BookMusical blend][Gelphie] Rating for language and romance scenes. R&R and make me the happiest person this side of the equator. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

This fic sort of threw itself at my head, causing a very painful collision that refused to alleviate itself until I wrote it. Very annoying, that. Anyway, I've started working on it and was hoping for some feedback. It's basically a more in-depth look at the Shiz portion of Galinda's and Elphaba's lives. It's a musical-book blend, and I've taken a few liberties, but not any that change the basic plot of Wicked or anything. Please read and review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Wicked. I don't own any of the characters, except the ones I made up (and they're mine, so don't touch)!

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"Miss Galinda, you will room with Miss Elphaba. You may have room twenty-two," said Madame Morrible, handing her a key. Galinda stomped to their dorm room, refusing to speak to the green girl behind her. She was ready to kill her Ama and her wretched foot. She unlocked the door and looked around in disappointment at the dismal dormitory. The walls were a grim shade of light-grey, the blinds hung crooked, and the beds looked stiffer than uncooked macaroni. Galinda found that even the brightest of her accessories did little to brighten up the room.

Elphaba didn't seem to have brought any personal effects. She simply unpacked and hung up all of her clothes in their shared closet in a matter of minutes. They were all dresses, of course, but instead of the frilly, pretty things Galinda was accustomed to seeing girls wear, these were all dark colors--maroon, deepest purple and blue, grey, black--and they all seemed tattered and unflattering on the hanger. Next, Elphaba made her bed. She had brought the most uniform of bed coverings. Her sheets were white, and she had a grey blanket and comforter. It occurred to Galinda that if Elphaba wore her grey dress, everything on her side of the room would be in shades of grey, except for Elphaba herself, that is.

It took Galinda much longer to unpack. Granted, Galinda had seven trunks full of clothing, as opposed to Elphaba's two. Galinda's many dresses had much more body than Elphaba's and took up almost all of the closet. Elphaba's dresses were simply pushed into the corner where they hung like tired rags or flattened animal pelts.

Neither one of them had broken the silence yet, and it was driving Galinda mad, mainly because she knew that she was going to lose.

"Hi," she said at last, "I'm Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands. I'm of the Arduenna Clan on my mother's side."

Elphaba nodded, "I'm Elphaba."

"Where are you from, Elphaba?" Galinda asked, doing her best to keep the conversation going.

"Are you asking where I was born or I where I lived before coming to Shiz?"

"How about you tell me both."

"I'm from Munchkinland. I've spent most of my life in Quadling Country," Elphaba said.

Galinda grimaced, "Quadling Country? Isn't that just putrid swampland?"

"Mainly. You get used to it eventually. It's not that bad," Elphaba said.

"You're from Munchkinland, huh?" Galinda asked, "I thought Munchkinlanders were all…"

"Tiny?" Elphaba asked with a grin, not taking offense, "Most of them are. The men are in more than one way. My family isn't originally from there so we're cursed with normal height."

Galinda grinned back, wishing right after that she hadn't. She couldn't have Elphaba thinking that she liked her; she couldn't have her expecting to acknowledge her in public. The girl was _green_, for Lurline's sake! To understate this, Galinda tossed her hair and said, "I'm going to make friends with some of the other girls. I'm sure there are some suitable ones. Goodbye, Miss Elphaba."

These were the only real words that the two exchanged before classes started. Galinda found that her fears were ungrounded. Elphaba never talked to her when outside their dorm room, and hardly even within it. She spent most of her time in the room, reading. Galinda, meanwhile, was hobnobbing with girls high on the social ladder, and making many new acquaintances. The roomies were only together in the orientation speeches and they didn't sit even remotely close to each other.

The first morning of class, Galinda was terrified. As she got ready, she kept casting glances at Elphaba to see if she was just as scared as she was. However, Elphaba disappointed her. She looked as bored as always, and Galinda took note that it had only taken the green girl a few moments to get ready. She had just slipped on one of her shapeless grey shifts and tied her hair back in a simple ponytail. Now she watched as Galinda fiddled with her perfectly coiffed flaxen hair.

"Galinda, can't you ever just wear the first thing you put on in the morning?" she asked impatiently with a touch of scorn.

"What?" Galinda asked, as if such an idea had never occurred to her.

"You've already changed four times this morning," Elphaba pointed out, "And you're picking out something different to try on. You know everything looks lovely on you, and you'll have a chance to wear it all eventually anyway."

"Elphaba," sighed Galinda, disregarding the compliment, "Sometimes I just don't understand you. Every time I go out in public, it is a reflection on me. Therefore, I must be perfectly made up and in the perfect outfit at all times. How else can I expect to gain popularity?"

"I just don't bother with looks," Elphaba said.

"Yes, I know," Galinda said sniffily.

Elphaba ignored the snub and gathered her books together. "I'm going to class," she said, "I want to get first choice on the seats."

Galinda was secretly pleased when her roomie left the room. Although she didn't want to enter the class alone, she knew that it would be even more detrimental for her potential reputation to show up with that vegetable of a girl.

When at last she was ready, Galinda hurried to the Magic Theory I lecture hall. She introduced herself to a suitable looking gaggle of girls outside the room and walked in with them, preserving her status. After she and her new friends had found proper seats, she looked around furtively for Elphaba. She was surprised when she saw that her fashion-blind roomie had chosen a seat in the furthest back corner. Galinda had assumed that Elphaba had wanted to get a seat in the front when she came early, but apparently, good seating in Elphaba's opinion was as far from everyone else as possible. The girl was bent over and fervently reading a book.

When nine o'clock came and passed, the murmuring increased as everyone wondered aloud where their teacher was. Then, at nine sixteen, the heavy stage door opened with a bang. The girls all peered into the darkness behind it but couldn't make anything out. After a moment of hushed silence, _something_ ran into the room with a squeal. Several of the girls screamed at the suddenness of it. The thing slid to a halt at the podium. Some of the girls giggled when they realized that it was their teacher. The woman was thin and had short, spiked hair that was bright red. Although she was probably around forty, she gave the impression of someone much younger. As they could tell from her entry, she had abundant energy, and already, little gasps were coming from students all across the room as they noticed her clothing. She was wearing what appeared to be the bodice and sleeves of a fairly simple dress and (Oh, the scandal of it!) men's trousers.

The woman ignored the sniggers and barely stifled snorts aimed at her and spoke. "Welcome to Magic Theory I, yada, yada, yada. I'm sure we'll all have a good year that will benefit you all as people and students in your learning here at Crage Hall," she said in a bored tone, "The school requires that I say that, of course, but now I can say whatever I wish. This class isn't for everyone. I'm not going to go around pretending you have aptitude if you don't. I do not tolerate students not willing to work, nor do I appreciate ass-kissers. This class is, essentially, a tool to separate the lazy idiots from the talented hard-workers who will go on to the next course. I'll do this without mercy and most of you will hate me for it. Let me tell you something: I don't care. Any questions?"

The class was completely silent following this recital. Finally, one girl on the second row timidly raised her hand.

"Yes?" asked the woman.

"Miss, what is your name?" she asked quietly before blushing deeply and looking as though she wished she could turn into air and float up to the ceiling.

"What would you like my name to be?" the teacher asked, not unkindly, "What are names really, but ways of organizing our lives? Call me whatever you wish. Call me Arrogant Bitch, call me Slave Driver, call me Ozma! It makes no difference to me."

Some of the girls grinned at the Paganism of it while others looked mortified.

"Ms. Ozma?" one brave girl asked, "Why didn't we see you at the Orientation yesterday?"

"I see no need to show up at a stuffy meeting and watch all of you crying as you say goodbye to your families. All that sentimentality makes me want to vomit. Instead, I went into town and got very nicely drunk. I'm sure I had much more fun than any of you. Any more questions?"

No one else raised a hand, so Ozma, as she was now to be called, continued. "Now, I don't care if you were the most talented at conjuring toads or removing warts in your hometown. Chances are, you won't be the best here. You've gotten into Crage Hall, girls. Congratulations. Now the work starts. First assignment: I want to know why you want to study magic."

Immediately, all the girls reached for their paper and quills.

"Stop!" Ozma commanded, halting all movement with a single word, "I don't believe in writing. I'm just going to pick a few of you to answer the question."

As one, every student sunk lower in their seats and quietly tried to efface themselves.

Ozma looked around for a moment before pointing to Galinda. "You. Who are you and why do you want to study magic?" she asked.

Galinda looked frozen for a moment before answering in what she hoped was a lofty, sophisticated voice. "I'm Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands. I'm of the Arduenna Clan on my mother's side. I've never tried my hand at magic _per se, _but I'm sure I'll show natural talent. My auntie was a witch, you see."

"I didn't ask you to prove that you have an over inflated head, Miss Upland. I asked why you want to study magic."

Galinda turned pale as the girls around her tittered. "It just seems like a useful skill to have," she muttered.

"Thank you," Ozma said. She pointed to several other girls in the next quarter of an hour, and they all gave very similar and tentative responses. Finally, Ozma pointed to Elphaba, who was now sitting very straight and paying rapt attention. "Who are you and why do you want to study magic?"

"If names are unimportant, I don't see why you have any need to know mine," Elphaba said impertinently.

The class all swiveled to see how Ozma took this cheeky remark. She was smiling.

Elphaba continued, "I didn't choose to be in this class. I'm interested in science, myself, but Madame Morrible insisted on putting me in here."

"Thank you for an honest answer, Miss No-Name," Ozma said, "Class dismissed."


	2. Chapter 2

The response to the first chapter blew me away! You guys pretty much made my year! Thanks so much for all the lovin', and I hope you continue to enjoy my story. I thought you would like "Ozma." She is actually completely based on a poetry teacher I had. She was the kind of person who, when finding out that I had the OBC of Avenue Q in my dorm room, insisted that I run as fast as I could to get it. When I got back, we all laid on the floor and listened to the whole thing through. She was great! Keep reading (and reviewing, of course)!

**Disclaimer:** "Just look at me, I'm limited"...in my ownership of these characters...or that quote.

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Doctor Dillamond ran his class in a much more orthodox and orderly way than Ozma. He started class by calling the roll and introducing himself. "I am Doctor Dillamond," he said in a coarse, warbling voice. It was definitely the type of voice you could see an ordinary goat talking in, if it could. He continued, "Welcome to life sciences, girls. This class, while nothing but facts, doesn't always get much credit because of its often contrasting views with religion. I'm sorry if any of you take offense to this, but no scientists have proved that Lurline or the Unnamed God or a Kumbric witch created Oz. From what science does tell us, Oz could have been created by a random assortment of chemicals that by chance combined to give us life."

Several students gasped at this bold statement, but Doctor Dillamond was not deterred.

"For all we know, Animals, people, and even animals are essentially equal. That's the kind of thing science can be used to prove," the muttering continued, "Science can bring about new medicines, new knowledge, new understanding about the world we live in, and most importantly, it can bring about change. Now, this class was not designed to be easy. I expect you to work and we will have weekly tests to see if you are. After I get to know you better and figure out which of you are good students, I will pick one of you to help me in the lab over the summer and after-school hours for pay."

Galinda looked about to see that the girls around her looked as mortified about working with a smelly, old Goat as she was. She did notice, though, that Elphaba, who had picked a front row seat in this class, looked very excited about maybe working with him. She shook her head. That girl was just too odd for her to ever understand.

For the next hour, Doctor Dillamond bored all of them (except Elphaba) with notes about early saltwater life in Oz and how it had evolved over millions of years. The class seemed to drag on for eons, but when it was finally over, Galinda and Elphaba found that they both had no other classes for the rest of the day.

Galinda, feeling a bit ill, went back to the room to take a nap, and Elphaba went to have lunch alone in a small café. She ordered hot tea and a sandwich and waited impatiently for its arrival. She pulled her book back out and was so absorbed by her reading that she didn't notice that she was being watched until the poor boy had cleared his throat enormously three times.

Elphaba looked up and groaned. It was the Munchkin boy she had met at one of the coed orientations. He claimed that they had grown up playing together, and while she didn't doubt his story, she didn't want to have to talk to him.

"Elphaba?" he asked shyly.

"You'll call me Miss Elphaba or you won't speak to me at all," she replied snippily.

He blushed, "I'm sorry Miss Elphaba."

"What do you want?"

"I was sitting over there," he said, gesturing, "And I saw you come in. I just thought that we could sit together and talk." He looked as though he was thinking better of his idea to come over here.

Before she could reply, her tea and sandwich arrived. She surveyed him over her steaming mug before biting into her sandwich. Once she swallowed she said, "Why are you so determined to be my friend?

"I guess because…well, I pretty much grew up with you, Elphie, and I--"

Elphaba interrupted, "Elphie! Who gave you permission to call me Elphie?"

"I'm sorry," he said, "I just grew up calling you that. Old habits die hard. May I continue to call you that?"

"No. You may not," she said stiffly, "Besides, I don't even remember all these years that I'm supposed to have spent all my time playing with you."

"Maybe you're just blocking the memories," Boq suggested with a sly grin, "After all, you didn't get along particularly well with any of us."

"I should say not. I've never liked children, even when I was one. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go. Goodbye--what was your name again?"

"Boq," he said.

"Goodbye, Master Boq," Elphaba said, paid her bill, and walked out.

He felt rather snubbed, but at least he had gotten half a conversation out of her. He wondered if she knew that gorgeous blond he had seen at the orientation.

Elphaba hurried back to Crage Hall, glad to be rid of the short boy, and barged into the dorm, forgetting that Galinda was taking a nap. She remembered right after she walked in and she was careful to shut the door quietly. Galinda was still fast asleep, and Elphaba didn't intend to wake her up anytime soon. A sleeping Galinda was the way Elphaba liked her best: silent. If the cons didn't outweigh the pros so, Elphaba would have woken her up just to annoy her. Instead, she picked up her copy of the Life Science books that had been handed out today. It was brand-new, all waxy and smelling of new beginnings. She had written her name neatly in black ink on the inside cover. She flipped through the pages, stopping every few moments to further inspect a picture that caught her eye. She glanced up at Galinda and smiled. Her roommate looked much more peaceful in sleep. Her beautiful hair was splayed about on the pillow, framing her face exquisitely, and Elphaba took a second to admire how her sculpted lips looked like rose petals. Elphaba was very surprised when this thought occurred to her. She was strictly pragmatic; poetic metaphor wasn't something she was naturally inclined to think in. Especially not when it came to a girl as snobby and hateful as Galinda. Actually, not when it came to any girl at all. But her eyelashes, Elphaba thought, they were so beautiful, so long and curving. And that adorable little pug of a nose, so different from her own. Elphaba noticed how thin and beautifully pale her neck was, so like a swan, and her…

Elphaba stopped these out of control thoughts just before they got dangerous. She couldn't believe the sensation she was having right around her navel. The kind of feeling that caused men to write poems and sing songs, and wars to be started, and the world to be turned… She decided she needed some fresh air and she scooped up her bag and rushed from the room.

Galinda awoke at the slamming of the door and looked around sleepily. The room was empty. She assumed that Elphaba had just left, but she didn't really mind her rude awakening; her headache was gone.

The next day both girls had all the same schedules and they walked together--at a distance--to the first class of the day. Their math teacher introduced himself. His name was Mr. Wrey, and the first thing all the girls noticed about him was his beautifully blue eyes and curly brown hair. He looked to be thirty-something and was much more fetching than the college boys across the canal. The girls were so enthralled that most of them had difficulty paying enough attention to his words to learn anything in their first class. Elphaba was the only one who seemed unfazed and took proper notes about complex numbers. She said later that he was handsome enough, but passing the class was much more important to her than staring at his ass.

The girls' giddy moods died when they got to their second and final class of the day: Oz History. The teacher was a very old man, the kind who can teach history by personal experience with the subject matter. He was heavyset and had a voice like a foghorn that made everything he said need an exclamation mark. His nose was exceptionally large and he wore a pair of pince-nez low on it. When they first entered, he wouldn't allow them to sit.

"Your seats are in alphabetical order!" he bellowed, "Find the desk with your name on it and await further instruction!"

Glinda hastily remembered that Elphaba's last name was Thropp. T was disturbingly close to the U of Upland. She prayed that there was an Undermeyer or Trombley in the class, but was disappointed when she saw that the sticky note on the desk right in front of hers said "Eelphaba." An unlucky spelling mistake, but her green roommate all the same.

Elphaba sat without a word to Galinda and waited for the teacher to continue.

"I am Mr. Grant!" he shouted, "This is Oz History! If any of you are in the wrong class, leave now!" No one moved and he continued. "I am handing out a copy of my rules and guidelines! I expect them to be followed, for I have a good punishment program! I would hope that none of you will have to experience it firsthand!"

No one looked very alarmed. The man was blustery, yes, but they could all tell that his bark was worse than his bite. Besides, from the volume he was speaking at, he was probably half-deaf anyway. They all decided on the spot to remember that they could get away with chatting about the latest fashions instead of learning about past rulers and revolutionaries.

"I'm going to take roll!" he roared. All of the class was accounted for but a mild ripple of laughter rolled through the classroom when he asked if "Eelphaba Thropp" was present.

"_Eelphaba_?" whispered a girl a few seats away from Elphaba with a snigger, "It certainly suits you!"

Elphaba remained silent. She was used to gibes, and jokes about her unusual coloring was nothing new to her.

Mr. Grant bellowed his way through the remaining hour, somehow getting on the subject of his ex-wife and how the divorce was totally unfair. In the first few minutes of class, seventy percent of the heads went down and much snoring ensued, even of the highest bred society girls. Even Elphaba--or "Eelphaba" as she would be called for several weeks--found her eyelids getting heavy when he finally dismissed them.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the long wait, guys, but a combination of school, writer's block, and applying to a school for the arts has been taking its toll. I don't particularly like this chapter, but it is a necessary connector, so please bear with me. I'll try to get the next update cranked out sooner this time! Please review!

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Wicked, but I certainly do borrow it enough.

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"That Mr. Grant is _such_ a bore!" Elphaba heard Galinda exclaiming to a few of the other girls as she walked past.

Seeing Elphaba, the girls changed track, and they did so loudly. "It's Miss Eelphaba!" one of them said, throwing the others into fits of giggles.

Elphaba pushed past without a word.

"I wonder who her roommate is," mused a girl in a gown of periwinkle.

Galinda flushed and said, "I don't know, but you have to feel sorry for her, don't you?"

The girls all looked at her.

"I meant that you have to feel sorry for her roomie," Galinda rectified quickly.

"She's so ugly!" proclaimed a girl in purple.

"I don't think she belongs in Crage Hall," a girl in voluminous ruffles said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you say that, Miss Milla?"

"She's more like a man than a girl! Has anyone checked to make sure she _is_ a girl?"

"Miss Milla!" Galinda said, feeling she had an obligation to stand up for Elphaba, even if she didn't want to.

Elphaba walked on, and Milla, chastised, said no more on the subject.

Elphaba struggled through her classes the following days; ever since she had watched her bubbly blond roommate sleep, Galinda had flitted through her dreams. Sometimes the girl cried for help, causing Elphaba to wake up in a cold sweat. Other times, the Galinda of her dreams was a slinking temptress of the night, evoking a guiltier, more pleasurable type of sweat.

Elphaba found that Galinda would pop up in unexpected places. Every time she saw that blond head or snow-white smile, she would get that feeling right at her navel. She knew she couldn't keep blaming the cafeteria's undercooked meat for it, but she also knew that while the feeling was enjoyable, she would rather have worms in her intestines than be experiencing it.

Galinda only experienced this feeling when she really had eaten the meatloaf in the cafeteria.

Soon, the roomies began to learn each others' habits and idiosyncrasies. Elphaba spent most of her time in the room, reading, studying, or doing something else Galinda didn't care about. Galinda just took advantage of her roommate's unsocial nature by staying out of the room as often as possible. When she had to come back to the room, (which she only did for sleeping purposes every evening) they spoke only when necessary and ignored each other the rest of the time. If Galinda was disturbed by Elphaba's new habit of waking up from her dreams several times during the night and going to the bathroom to splash her face with water, she didn't comment on it.

Elphaba often wondered if these dreams caused her to talk or moan in her sleep. Sometimes she would wake up with tears streaming from her face, something she never let happen when awake, and it made her wonder what kind of noises she made when having one of those unmentionable dreams about Galinda naked.

Elphaba needn't have worried. Galinda was one hell of a heavy sleeper. Once, when she was still quite young, an earthquake had swept her area of the Gillikin. It had been the strongest one in almost half a century, and it had done a lot of damage. Galinda slept right through it, to the surprise of her whole family, who had been very much awake during the whole thing.

So the girls kept up their dysfunctional relationship for a while, Galinda glaring dispassionately at Elphaba from a safe distance away and Elphaba loving and hating her from the sidelines.

Galinda, while she upheld a pretentious apathy for academics, managed to also maintain a high grade. One evening she fell asleep, exhausted, before she could get a start on her literature assignment. The following morning she leapt out of bed; literature was her first class of the day. When she reported to the classroom without her homework, the professor, a no nonsense woman called Mrs. Cupotta, fixed her with a stolid stare.

Galinda babbled in vain, scrambling for an excuse when Elphaba stood up.

"Please, Mrs. Cupotta," Elphaba said, "Galinda's my roommate," there were noises of disbelief from several of Galinda's close friends. They still didn't know of the true identity of Galinda's roomie. Elphaba continued, "and yesterday she was very ill. I was up with her for most of the night. If she had tried to complete the assignment, there would have been a good chance of her vomiting on it."

Mrs. Cupotta looked fairly disgusted but she gave a small nod, acknowledging that Galinda was excused from the assignment.

Galinda didn't look at Elphaba for the rest of the class. She knew that it was poor repayment for someone who had just saved her from a lecture, but she was too ashamed to do anything but ignore the girl she had been so mean to.

After class, when Elphaba was back at the room, Galinda opened the door shyly, as if it wasn't her room too, and grinned sheepishly at the green girl.

"Thanks," she said simply with a genuine smile.

Elphaba nodded and a grin slipped out, the first time she had really smiled at her roommate.

Galinda left only a moment later and Elphaba had the sudden urge to dance around the room. Instead, she contented herself with a small smile at nothing and a soft, joyful song that no one was meant to hear.

From that moment, the girls were friends. To no one else was anything different, but to them everything had changed. Of course, Elphaba still ate her meals alone and they never made an attempt to socialize in public. In fact, they rarely even talked when alone in their dorm, but at least now it was an amiable silence.

As the semester wore on, though, and the classes got harder, homework brought them together. They often sat up all night, working on some assignment and they got to know each other pretty well.

Elphaba learned that Galinda had been raised in a rural village in the Gillikin. She was an only child and her family was quite well off.

Galinda learned very little about Elphaba's past because the green girl shied away from personal questions of any kind, but she did pick up that Elphaba's mother was many years dead and that Elphaba had a younger sister and brother.

On one such evening, while both girls gulped cup after cup of coffee in order to stay awake, Galinda took a break from her report on the Dwarf Uprising of the Third Century and murmured, "Elphaba…"

Elphaba looked up, "What?"

"Oh, I'm just trying to think of a suitable nickname for you."

"Nickname?" Elphaba asked, her curiosity overriding her usual sarcasm.

"Yes. What does your father call you?" Galinda asked.

"Fabala," Elphaba said with a grimace, "but you may not call me that."

"What did that little Munchkin boy at the orientation call you? Wasn't it…'Elphie'?"

Elphaba groaned. It was a tiresome nickname to be sure.

"Elphie," Galinda pondered, "I like it!"


	4. In Which the Authoress Feels Stupid

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait.  
'Elphaba's new habit of waking up from her dreams several times during the night and going to the bathroom to splash her face with water?'  
Water? Water is like acid to Elphaba. Is it a typo?" -Anonymous reviewer "wait a minute"

We're going to call this "The Chapter Where the Authoress Feels Stupid," if you don't mind. Thank you so much to the anonymous reviewer "wait a minute" for pointing out the miniscule but distressing flaw in the last chapter. I wish I could say that I had been sleep-typing when I wrote it or perhaps just on heavy drugs, but alas, I was neither of these things. I would like to formally apologize for the stupidity of my killing off of Elphaba in the middle of the story and then bringing her zombie back to flirt with Galinda. I promise that Elphie will be doing no more splashing herself with water...that is, unless she goes suicidal. ;D Please keep reading, guys!


	5. Chapter 5

Oh, guys, I love you all! Your reviews are so great and encouraging! I hope you will contine to review. (wink wink) Sorry that this chapter is so short, but I thought it could use a fast update and the next chapter will be longer.

**In response to the anonymous reviewer jurilover16**, I think it all depends on how picky you are being with her water allergy. I have no problem with Elphie drinking tea since she did so in the book, and also because any sort of drink that we consume contains at least a little water in it. As far as I know, Elphaba doesn't have some magical power that allows her to survive with some liquid sustenance. ;D If we were to be very picky, one must wonder how she can even be kissed without her partner's saliva burning through her skin. It's definitely something to think about.

**Disclaimer:** It would be nice to own Wicked. But alas, I do not.

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So Elphie she was destined to be. At least, she was Elphie whenever she and Galinda were alone in the room or when she was around Boq. As a matter of fact, Elphaba was spending more and more time with the Munchkin boy of her rather blurry childhood. She found his friendship companionable and he was very easy for her to talk to.

A couple days a week, if not more, the two would meet in one of the nearby cafés and discuss their classes and professors. Elphaba found herself increasingly irritated with the sexism of Shiz. Boq was learning far more valuable things than she, but unlike her, he had no immediate use for them.

On one of these days, Boq came in with a rather lopsided, stupefied expression on his round face. Elphaba watched with a little concern but a fair amount of amused curiosity.

He sat down with a thump and ordered his usual coffee in monotone. He then commenced to staring at the grubby window as if he were contemplating a complicated piece of art.

"Boq?" Elphaba asked, more than a little entertained. When he did nothing to acknowledge her, she waved her hand in his face and pulled on his beardless chin.

With an almost audible snap, his eyes came into focus. "What?" he asked, sounding a little annoyed, as if she had awoken him from a nice dream.

"Care to explain why you're acting like a love struck idiot?"

He sighed, "Love, yes, I suppose that's what it is…"

Elphaba mimed vomiting into the small flower vase in the middle of their table.

"Don't poke fun, Elphie," he reprimanded in a steely tone, "You can't possibly understand until you have felt it."

"And who says I haven't?" Elphaba asked, feigning offense.

Boq ignored her and went back to staring at the window.

"So who is the girl that has young Master Boq infatuated?"

Boq just shook his head as though relinquishing himself of a pesky fly.

"Oh, Oz, it isn't a _boy_ is it?"

Boq gave her a look, "No, she is certainly a girl. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen--"

"Please spare me the poetic prose of your great love. Just tell me who she is. Anyone I know?" Elphaba said before taking a sip from her tea.

"Galinda Upland."

Elphaba's tea made it all the way to the opposite side of the restaurant before coming into contact with the bald head of an elderly man eating a salad. He glared at her and used a waiter's apron to wipe off the offending liquid.

Elphaba completely ignored the flight of her tea and gaped at Boq. "You're in love with my roommate?!" she squeaked.

Boq nodded his head a tad glumly, "Yes, but who am I kidding? She's practically royalty and I'm just a stupid little Munchkin."

Elphaba said nothing.

Boq looked at her, "Do you think I have a chance with her, Elphie?"

"I'm sure I don't know," Elphaba said, "I have to go, Boq," and she gathered her things and hurried from the shop.

Back in the safety of her empty room, Elphaba pondered what to do. She should have seen this coming. After all, Galinda was beautiful. There was bound to be some competition. Wait, competition? Why should that matter to her? She didn't care about Galinda! But she knew that she wouldn't be able to keep lying to herself and she threw herself at her bed and trembled. She wouldn't let herself sink to crying, but it was possible for her to have a complete emotional breakdown with dry eyes throughout.

She got over her emotional purge and sat down with some homework just as Galinda came in.

"Good afternoon, Elphie!" she said brightly. Her whole demeanor toward her green roommate had changed so drastically since their tentative friendship that it was like she was a totally different person, "Is anything wrong?" she asked as she changed into a different dress.

_Damn her for being so perceptive! _Elphaba thought to herself while trying to keep her attention on her homework instead of Galinda's scantily clad body. Aloud she said, "No, I'm fine."

"Great! Well, I'm going to go get some lunch with a group of those chattering society ninnies," Galinda said before leaving the room again.

Elphaba had long wondered why Galinda insisted on spending time with people she didn't like, but the one time she had asked, Galinda had explained very slowly how reputation was far more important than the fun you had.

It occurred to Elphaba that in order to maintain her façade of indifference at Boq's new feelings for Galinda, she would have to go out of her way to hook them up. Elphaba the Matchmaker. It was a mask she had never tried on, but perhaps she could pull it off.


	6. Chapter 6

I believe this is my fastest update on this story to date, and I'm quite proud of myself, actually. I know that many of you have wondered in your reviews when Elphie and Galinda will get together, if ever, and I can honestly tell you that I have no idea. D I'm just trying to keep things as realistic as possible, and if it feels right, then they will indeed become a couple. If not, Elphaba will just be pitiful and unrequited. We'll see, eh? Review, people!

**Disclaimer:** I will explain how Wicked does not belong to me in this haiku:

_Wicked: book I love_

_Wicked: musical I heart_

_Alas, they aren't mine_

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Over the next week, Boq's infatuation for Galinda grew into a near obsession.

When Elphaba finally worked up the nerve to suggest a meeting between the two of them, he looked at her as though she had just told him that she was his fairy godmother. His grin got larger than his mouth should have been able to accommodate, and he hugged her tightly until she was able to remove him. She decided that this school-boyish side of him really was very unbecoming, and she hoped stronger than ever that Galinda would turn his affections down, but this time it was not only for her own sake.

The meeting was scheduled to occur in the vegetable garden behind the kitchen of Crage Hall; it was the least likely place for them to be discovered. The morning of said meeting, Elphaba escorted Galinda to the vegetable patch. Even if Galinda hadn't invited her, she still would have tagged along. She needed to make sure that Boq didn't act too strongly on his hormones.

They sat waiting on the bench beside the carrots for ten minutes. Galinda had just started to whisper hopefully that perhaps her young suitor wouldn't show up, when Boq crested the top of the garden wall's roof.

"Oh, look, Galinda!" Elphaba said, more scornfully than she meant to, "A little bird!"

Boq's descent into the garden was less graceful than, say, a cat, but it was certainly more agile than an elephant.

He at last stood before them, panting. He had done something ridiculous with his hair, Elphaba noticed, and for a moment she thought that a startled hedgehog had taken sentry on his head. Even with Galinda sitting, Boq was barely as tall as her, but he bowed nevertheless and kissed her hand.

"My, my, Master Boq," Elphaba said, reverting to his proper title for propriety's sake (and also to annoy him), "If Miss Galinda and I didn't have such differing skin tones, you might not have been able to decide which one she was. She hides her face behind that fan quite effectively, doesn't she?"

Galinda glared at Elphaba from behind the fan as did Boq from where he still kneeled on the earthy ground.

"Hello, Miss Galinda," he said, "I am Master Boq. I have viewed your beauty before now, and it stuns me."

Elphaba coughed loudly to disguise a derisive laugh.

"Please, Miss Elphaba," he said stiffly, "Could you not _leave_?"

"She's my chaperone," Galinda said.

Boq nodded, accepting that Elphaba's presence was his fate, "It is too bad we could not meet somewhere more..." he glanced around, "scenic."

"Well," Elphaba said before Galinda could respond, "The school frowns on coed fraternization, whether there be orgies planned or not."

Galinda lowered her fan to rap Elphaba on a pale green forearm before snapping it back in front of her face again.

"Let us ignore Miss Elphaba," Boq said to Galinda, "Miss Galinda, I am here to see if you would perhaps like to see each other more often. As I have said, I am quite taken with you."

"Master Boq," Galinda said, finally depositing her fan in her lap, "I do not see how such rendezvous are possible. You are of a different social class than I, of different heritage, and I doubt very much that we share anything in common. I had hoped to marry one of my own kind, you see."

"I did not suggest marriage," Boq said doggedly, "I'm merely suggesting that we see each other. As only friends, if need be."

"I'm not sure if even friendship is possible, Master Boq. Friendships take a long time to grow, and I never even see you."

"I will do my best to remedy that," Boq said desperately.

"I think the best you can expect for is that I acknowledge you in passing," Galinda said snootily.

Boq bowed his head, "I can tolerate that, Miss Galinda. At least, until we become closer, as I'm sure we will."

"He's got a rather impertinent tongue on him, hasn't he?" Elphaba said with a smirk, "Surely you find _some_ fascination with his tongue, Galinda?"

Galinda disappeared behind her fan again.

"I suppose I'll be going," Boq said awkwardly as he backed up to the wall.

"Would you like some help?" Elphaba asked.

"No," Boq said icily, "I won't be needing any more of your _help_, Miss Elphaba."

Just as his britches disappeared over the wall, one of the cooks emerged from the kitchen door just behind them.

"I thought I heard a male voice. Is everything all right, duckies?" she asked, stirring a bowl of what looked like mashed potatoes.

"Yes, everything's fine," Elphaba said, "Miss Galinda here was just having a chat with a particularly daring cabbage that had expressed his affection for her."

For days Boq maintained a stony silence toward Elphaba. When she finally annoyed him enough to make him speak, he blew up in her face.

"I thought you were my friend, Elphaba!" he said angrily.

"Don't you know me well enough to know that that's silly, Boq? I don't have friends."

"Only because you can't keep them," he retorted and left without a backward glance before she could think of a return insult. She did miss his friendship, but at the same time she was rejoicing inside that Galinda had rejected his affections so thoroughly. She just hoped that a more eligible man never came along.

Although Boq did eventually forgive Elphaba, for it was difficult for him to stay angry at anyone for long, he did not abandon his feelings for Galinda. She was true to her word and acknowledged him on the two occasions they bumped into each other in the next few weeks. But these conversations only included the passing of the barest niceties and each going on their way. It was a far cry from Boq's mental image of he and Galinda in a small rowboat, their locked lips illuminated by the sunset behind them. His vision most certainly did not include Elphaba or Galinda's two tittering society friends, the Misses ShenShen and Pfannee. But since she seemed to go nowhere without at least one of them, he supposed he would have to settle with what he got. For the moment, that is.

Meanwhile, with the summer break approaching, classes were getting more and more difficult, as if the teachers wanted to ensure that the students had headaches all break. The only class everyone consistently enjoyed was Magic Theory I with Ozma. They still had not learned her name, nor did they much care. Her class was offbeat and fun. Galinda had once joked that the woman was allergic to textbooks, so opposed was she to any kind of bookwork. Although Magic Theory I was technically supposed to teach only the basics of magic, (using primarily a textbook) they had already started learning several of the more simple spells. It soon became apparent who had a natural gift at sorcery; both Elphaba and Galinda had talent, as did a few others in the class. For the rest, though, magic did not come easily.

Hardly anyone enjoyed Doctor Dillamond's endless lectures besides Elphaba, so it was no surprise to anyone when he announced that she would be his helper over the summer. No one envied her and most of them just put their heads down and went back to sleep.

In Mr. Wrey's class, everyone stayed awake, but it was only to stare at him. Since the beginning of the year, a number of girls would stay after class in a giggling pack to flirt with him. Because he never discouraged this and because this group of girls had continuing good grades, many were led to believe that he was sleeping with them.

Mr. Grant's lessons had gone downhill from the first class. Now he did not only shout at everyone, _all the time_, they did nothing but take notes while he shouted at them. His many homework assignments consisted of copying more notes from other books.

Mrs. Cupotta was also beginning to get on everyone's nerves. She appeared to have an obsession with telling people that every job they did was a self-portrait. It wouldn't have been so bad if she didn't insist on saying it at least three times every class.

One morning, only a few days before their summer holiday, Elphaba forgot to read the assigned chapter for literature. Mrs. Cupotta walked over to her, got a very serious expression on her face, looked around to make sure that everyone was listening, and imparted her wisdom on the world. "Every job is a self-portrait, Miss Elphaba. Do you know what your failure to read one tiny chapter tells me about your self-portrait, Miss Elphaba? It is a very ugly self-portrait because it has been done so lazily."

Elphaba's hands shook with anger for the remainder of the class and Galinda watched as she violently dismembered copious amounts of parchment. At lunch, after class was dismissed, Galinda caught her green friend's eye and she came to sit down with her. (They had been eating lunch together for about a week, and Galinda had been very surprised about the lack of muttering it created.) Galinda shot her a sympathetic look and said teasingly, but not unkindly, "I'm sorry about your self-portrait, Elphie."

"_Damn_ that bitch and her self-portraits!" Elphaba said vehemently, earning a giggle from Galinda.

"Well, at least you have working with Doctor Dillamond to look forward to in a few days," Galinda said, trying to lighten her mood.

Elphaba's face did light up, at least, until she remembered that she had a history assignment that she had neglected to do the night before. The stress was getting to everyone, but that only made them crave their fast-approaching holiday even more.


	7. Chapter 7

_And with a flash from above, the authoress updates! Then, she scratches her head and wonders where her readers went..._

Good news! (The Witch, she's dead!) Actually, no, that isn't the good news. That's isn't even _good news_. But yeah, I got my computer fixed and now it types again. I know that I never actually let you guys know that it was broken, but trust me, it was. Also, I've been having rehearsals for our really pitiful school play, and that has been taking up my time. As always, review!

**Disclaimer: **I stole--I mean, I'm BORROWING these characters.

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So when Galinda announced that she would be spending her summer with Pfannee and ShenShen at Lake Chorge, Elphaba wasn't the only disappointed one. But she had her time with Doctor Dillamond to occupy her, and Boq had taken to getting them some of the books from the Briscoe Hall library. Elphaba could tell that Dillamond was close to a breakthrough, but try as she might, she couldn't understand his findings.

Their summer passed by, sticky, hot, and uneventful. On the rare occasion that a quick rain shower came through, everyone but Elphaba ran outside to delight in the cooler temperature.

When they had only three weeks left, a note arrived from Lake Chorge from Galinda. When Elphaba shared it was Boq, he decided that the note was an urgent plea for help, instead of just a bored girl's letter home. "Just there, see?" he said, "She's practically begging you to come!" With a few days of cajoling, he convinced her that they should visit Lake Chorge to see, and if possible, help the blonde girl.

Barely a day later, they were in a carriage, heading for the lake and summer house where Galinda awaited them. Not only had a detestable (but exceedingly handsome) friend of Boq's deigned to join them, but Madame Morrible had insisted that her little clumsy tiktok man, Grommetik join them as well, as a chaperone of sorts. Elphaba was having difficulty deciding which of these two unwelcome guests annoyed her more. The friend of Boq's, (she had discovered that they were roommates) was named Avaric, and he was a perfect bastard. She told him as much after the first three jokes he made about her skin, and they hadn't gotten on well since. Of course, Grommetik was just as bad. They had tried to force him on the carriage driver, but the damned thing managed (with a little help from the carriage driver) to get back into the inside compartment with the travelers. Elphaba couldn't even look at the ugly little thing without visions of sledgehammers and broken tiktok men filling her thoughts. The long journey passed in almost complete silence with the few unsuccessful times Boq tried to initiate conversation as the exceptions. Those always went something like this:

"Elphaba?"

"Hmm?"

"Uh. Lovely view, isn't it?"

All four would, on cue, look out at the rather desolate landscape.

"No," Elphaba would say.

"Hey, Avaric?" Boq would say in another brave attempt at communication.

"What?" Avaric would say, annoyed.

"Isn't this carriage nice?"

"No, I find it a little too…_green_." And then Elphaba and Avaric would glare daggers at each other, starting the whole cycle over again.

Boq gave up for a while, at least, until he started babbling like an idiot a few hours later.

"What the _hell_ is it?!" Elphaba and Avaric yelled together when Boq kept this up for almost a minute.

Boq blathered for a few more seconds before he finally just pointed out the window. The green girl, the handsome boy, and the wood and metal man all glimpsed what Boq was going on about. A beautiful summerhouse, "Caprice in the Pines" as Galinda had so eloquently put it, stood on a steep hill surrounded by trees and a beautiful lake. Even this far below it, the four could tell that the view from the cabin would be beautiful. The carriage stopped at the foot of the hill and after tipping the driver, the three humans of the group started up the sheer steps, leaving Grommetik to endlessly bump into the bottom step. The three pretended to not notice that he couldn't get his wheels over the steps and continued on.

Their arrival at the summerhouse was not at all what Elphaba had expected. Galinda, ShenShen, and Pfannee were all sitting on the porch, clad only in their voluminous drawers. All three were giggling about something and munching on what appeared to be honey cakes. ShenShen was the first to notice the strange band of people coming up the pathway. She shrieked and ducked behind her chair.

"What're you--" Galinda started, but she cut herself off with a gasp when she turned to see her green roommate and her companions standing behind her. She froze in a position that could have been almost comical had the situation been slightly different. Her mouth was open almost all the way, and she held a honey cake halfway between her lap and open mouth.

When Pfannee saw the guests, she started to grin, but disguised it with a quick gasp and hid behind her chair like ShenShen.

An older woman came out of the house. Elphaba could only assume that she was a servant employed for the girls' stay. The woman surveyed the situation. Elphaba knew they looked very much like wax soldiers in a museum, posed for an epic war.

"Oh my," the woman said, "You must introduce me to your friends, Miss ShenShen."

Elphaba realized that the summerhouse, "Capricorn in the Pines" or whatever nonsense it was called, must be owned by ShenShen's family.

ShenShen mumbled something into the back of her chair.

"What, Dearie?" the servant woman asked, "You know I haven't the best ears, Luv."

ShenShen extricated her head somewhat from her chair. "I said that the girl and the short boy are classmates of mine. I've no idea who the other one is." But she grinned at him coyly.

"This is Avaric," said Boq, seizing the moment, "He attends Shiz as well."

"ShenShen, I must say that you are being a terrible hostess," the woman told her chidingly in an almost-deaf person's whisper, "Get up and invite them in."

"I'm barely dressed, Livvie," hissed ShenShen to the woman, but she got up all the same. She started into a monotonous, rehearsed voice. "Welcome to Caprice in the Pines, Masters Boq and Avaric and Miss Elphaba. Do come inside, won't you?" She started to lead them in, but Galinda finally recovered from her surprise and held up a hand to stop her.

"Elphaba. Boq. _Why_ in _Sweet Oz _are you _here_?"

Elphaba fumbled for an answer, "You sent me that letter, and Boq thought that you wanted us to come and visit, and I…" she stopped talking altogether at the look on Galinda's face.

"What letter?!" she nearly screamed.

Boq took over. "This one," he pulled out the letter and handed it to her. She skimmed over it, her expression getting more enraged the further she read.

"I didn't write this! This looks almost like…" she turned around, "Miss Pfannee's handwriting."

Pfannee was literally rolling with silent laughter. She was holding her stomach and her face was streaming with tears. For a moment, everyone stared at her, no amusement on their faces.

"I--I--I wrote it!" she gasped when she had gotten over the worst of her laughter, "I didn't think it would really work, but you're here, Elphaba! And, sweet Oz, you brought that Munchkin boy with you! It's even funnier than I thought it would be!"

Galinda glared at her, her usually blissful face stony. "Miss Pfannee, this is not in any way amusing." Galinda didn't mind her leafy roommate's presence very much, but she was determined to not allow her summer break to be ruined by Boq and his obsessive infatuation with her.

"I'm sorry you had to go to all that trouble, you three, but you can just go on back to Shiz now," ShenShen said.

"I don't think so, Miss ShenShen," Elphaba said, "We've accepted Pfannee's invitation, and we will be spending the remainder of our holidays with you here."

Pfannee seemed to be finding her joke much less funny now, and Galinda and ShenShen looked positively mortified.

"All right, then!" Livvie said cheerfully, "I suppose I better go set a few extra places for lunch, shall I?" and she bustled back into the house.


	8. Chapter 8

This is a rather short chapter, I know, but I felt it did better by itself than as part of a longer chapter. Get prepared for some Gelphie steam, and also a little angst. Happy reading (and reviewing )!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine.

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After a silent lunch, Boq, Avaric, and Elphaba were led to their rooms. The cabin was larger than it first appeared, and everyone got their own room easily.

Elphaba had barely laid her things down when Galinda came into the room.

"Elphaba," she said, "I really _am_ glad to see you. I hope you didn't think I was upset about _you_ staying. It's just that little Boq that worries me."

Elphaba picked up the sincerity in her voice and believed her. "Thanks, Galinda," she said, "I'm rather tired after that trip. If you don't mind, I'm going to take a nap."

Galinda nodded and quietly left the room.

When Elphaba awoke again, she was disoriented for a moment. She remembered where she was just as she realized that Galinda was kneeling beside her head. The blonde girl was stroking her hair, and Elphaba knew it was that that had woken her.

"Galinda?" she said, asking several things at once.

Galinda put a pale, pink finger on her roommate's dark green lips.

Elphaba tried to sit up, but Galinda pushed her back down gently.

"Just give in," she whispered seductively, her hands tracing Elphaba's neck and jaw line.

Elphaba couldn't believe this was happening. "Galinda, are you sure that you--"

Galinda cut her off by leaning over her and kissing her overpoweringly. Elphaba decided to stop arguing when she tasted Galinda on her lips. In only a moment, though she didn't remember standing up, Galinda had her backed against a corner. Her tongue had gained entrance into Elphaba's mouth, and Elphaba wasn't complaining in the slightest. Galinda started on Elphaba's neck, and Elphaba discovered that Galinda's perfume was almost overwhelming. She was afraid for a moment that she would pass out, but when Galinda's hands started moving downward, she came back to full alertness. She stripped off her dress faster than she ever had before.

Galinda easily pushed up her brassiere and gently fondled each green breast, one at a time. Elphaba's nipples responded and hardened. She almost yelped with delight, but, remembering that there were others in the house, she bit her tongue.

Unlike Elphaba, Galinda was in no mood for restraining her tongue, and she let it trail from each breast down to Elphaba's bellybutton, which she quickly occupied. Elphaba frantically tugged at her panties, and Galinda helped her remove them. She admired Elphaba's almost purple pubic hair for a few seconds before allowing her tongue access to this new playground. Her tongue had free reign over Elphaba's clitoris, and when she gently took the small bud between her teeth, it was almost too much for Elphaba to bear. Forgetting all about the danger of being discovered, Elphaba moaned and beat the walls behind her with her fists.

Galinda slipped her tongue inside her only seconds later and got a satisfying whimper from Elphaba. She had only just begun to explore when someone knocked at the door.

"Elphaba?" called a voice hesitantly. "Elphaba?" How odd. The voice sounded very much like Galinda. But how could that be? Galinda was sitting right in front of her, tongue still dangerously close to Elphaba's lower regions.

The Galinda on the floor dissolved along with the pleasurable scene as Elphaba woke up, sweating and panting.

"Elphaba?" called the voice again, "It's time for supper." It was definitely Galinda. Elphaba came closer to crying than she had in months.

Elphaba managed to get through supper, but only just. As soon as they finished, ShenShen suggested that they go for a boat ride on the lake. She hadn't taken her eyes off Avaric the whole meal, and when he agreed to go to the lake, Elphaba knew by her face that she had only brought it up at all to get to spend time with him.

Galinda, Pfannee, and Boq all agreed to go too, but Elphaba declined on the grounds that she was afraid of being splashed. It was the first time she could remember being glad for her allergy.

Once they were all gone, Elphaba went back to her lonely, darkening room and sobbed into her hands until she ran out of tears. The salt water stung her cheeks, but at least it distracted her from her aching heart.

This dream, and her reaction to it, finally forced Elphaba to admit to herself that she was in love with Galinda. She suddenly found fresh tears from somewhere deep inside.


	9. Chapter 9

Update time! Just letting you know: Nessa shows up in this chapter. I couldn't decide whether to give her her book or musical disabilities, so I just went with both and whacked off her arms and stuck her in a wheelchair for funsies! As always, review!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine! (I don't know why I'm excited about that!)

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The rest of their time at Caprice in the Pines was spent in strained joviality. They pretended to get along, but ShenShen and Pfannee deprecated Elphaba every chance they could, whether she was in earshot or not, and Galinda was becoming increasingly annoyed with Boq's attempts at schoolboy seduction. The only person who seemed to be having a great time was Avaric. Galinda had found that if she needed Pfannee or ShenShen, the best strategy was to look for Avaric and she could safely bet that the two of them would be buzzing somewhere around him. The two hadn't stopped making lewd advances on him since he arrived, and he appeared to be loving every minute of it. Elphaba had caught him with a hand up ShenShen's shirt twice.

The trip back to Shiz was mostly silent and there seemed to be a general attitude floating around the carriage that everyone was glad to be leaving Caprice in the Pines.

Once back at the school, Galinda and Elphaba spent their last couple days of break lazing around, only barely dreading the looming new term at Shiz.

Just as Galinda's stomach had begun to rumble in anticipation of lunch, the door to their dorm opened. At first, Galinda couldn't even figure out what she was seeing. She finally realized that it was a very pretty girl, a couple of years her junior, in a wheelchair. Her odd appearance was credited to the fact that she had no arms.

Elphaba looked up from her place on the floor where she had been so fervently reading all morning that she had neither eaten nor spoken a word.

"Nessa?" she asked uncertainly.

"Hello, sister," the girl said.

It dawned on Galinda, though slowly, that this was the sibling Elphaba had once called 'physically limited.' Galinda had assumed that this meant that she was slightly shorter than average, not that the girl had two nonworking limbs and that the other two were completely missing. She had also assumed that she would be green, but this Nessa was a paler shade of pink than herself, certainly something to be envied. Her hair was dark and lightly curled and she had stunning blue eyes. Despite her disabilities, she seemed to be able to control a room just by entering, something Galinda had always hoped to achieve. She seemed to have inherited the fashion sense that Elphaba lacked and had dressed her deformed body very modernly. Galinda wondered for a moment how she had accomplished something as difficult as getting dressed.

"You're early," Elphaba said, clearly flustered. She had meant to have a celebration for her sister's arrival.

"No she isn't, Elphie," Boq said as he pushed Nessa's wheelchair into the room from where he had been hidden outside in the hall.

Galinda shrieked. "You aren't supposed to be in here!" she gasped and hurried to pull a blanket around her nightgown-clad self.

"I'm sorry, Miss Galinda," Boq said with a grin, not looking sorry in the slightest, "Anyway, you told me to meet Miss Nessarose at the station at noon, Elphie. It's nearly 12:30."

"Oh," Elphaba said, "Well, thank you, Boq. You had probably better leave before someone catches you."

He nodded and gave a small bow to Nessa and Galinda before leaving.

Elphaba, who always had manners when Nessarose was present, immediately introduced her to Galinda.

Nessarose Thropp was all grace and Galinda found herself inexplicably wanting to slap her. She found it amazing that a girl so disabled could be so conceited. It wasn't just the fact that the girl was conceited that bothered Galinda; she could have dealt with that easily. It was _how_ the girl was conceited. She was conceited in a holy way. Her swelled confidence came from her faith. Galinda, never a huge believer in religion, rather Unionist or pleasure faith, found this despicable.

Elphaba seemed cowed by her younger sister, and Galinda was disconcerted by this, though she had no idea why. The green girl's sister was already speaking condescendingly to her.

"Honestly, Elphaba, referring to a boy without his title? Have you lost all propriety?" Nessa asked, disgusted.

"What?" Elphaba asked, more than a little confused.

"Master Boq. You called him Boq and allowed him to call you 'Elphie.'"

"Oh," Elphaba said simply. She didn't even think about using Boq's title anymore. "He's a good friend," she told Nessa, "I don't feel it necessary."

Nessa gave her a disapproving look but moved on, "Where did 'Elphie' come from?"

"It's just a nickname."

"I thought you hated nicknames."

"I've changed."

"Perhaps you've changed your heathen ways as well?" Nessa asked, reminding Galinda forcefully of an admonishing maunt.

"No, Nessa, and I don't want to discuss this. You've only just arrived, for pity's sake. Madame Morrible said she'd be taking care--" Elphaba was cut off by the magnificently timed arrival of Morrible herself.

The large woman opened their door without even knocking and stood in the doorway for a moment, holding her side and blustering.

"I came as soon as I could," she said between heavy breaths, "Someone said they had seen you arrive, Miss Nessarose. Don't worry, we have your room all ready."

"I trust she'll be taken care of properly?" Elphaba asked.

"Oh, yes, Miss Elphaba. Don't worry. We've hired a special caretaker for her and I'll be personally overseeing that everything runs smoothly."

Galinda watched, her mouth agape. How was it that this girl got so much attention? Morrible wouldn't have behaved this way unless she'd been paid off, and Elphaba had never hinted at wealth before.

After Elphaba had been thoroughly assured of her sister's well-being, Morrible pushed Nessarose back down the hallway.

Galinda took several minutes to think of a nice way to say that Nessarose was a bitch, but she failed.

"She's a bitch," she said.

Elphaba looked up, a little startled by Galinda's very frank statement. She considered for a moment before saying, "Yes, she is."

"Then why do you let her push you around?" Galinda asked.

"I don't know. It's just how I was raised," Elphaba said, a tad uncomfortably, "I think I'll go see how she's moving in."

Galinda shook her head and silently praised whatever god might be out there that she was an only child.

To Galinda's dismay, not only did Nessa spend an exorbitant amount of time in their room, she also expected to get to hang out with Elphaba at all times. And since Galinda had very recently gotten Elphaba accepted into the exclusive social club of Pfannee and ShenShen (even though they had protested at every turn), Nessa also clamored to be accepted. Pfannee and ShenShen gave in, but only because they didn't want Madame Morrible breathing down their necks. Morrible seemed to have taken it upon herself to make sure that Nessa had a charmed time at Shiz.

Only a week into the new classes Elphaba was already babbling about Doctor Dillamond again. While everyone else found his second term class boring and incredibly difficult, Elphaba alone was enjoying every second of it.

Nessa, who had not signed up for any form of science, saying that it clashed with her religion, was very disapproving when it came to Elphaba's near-obsession with the life sciences.

In fact, Galinda had found that almost everything clashed with Miss Nessarose's religion to some extent. The girl was a hopelessly devout Unionist and had already lectured Galinda and Elphaba endlessly on the many evils of studying sorcery.

In fact, the two had only left one of these many admonishments on the way to life sciences. Galinda learned that all it took to get away from a Nessa Lecture was to stop pushing her wheelchair and just leave her. It almost always got her to shut up, and if not, Galinda just kept walking and effectively left her behind. Every time she did this, however, it earned her a glare from Elphaba.

The two were surprised to see a throng around the doorway to the life sciences hall that mostly consisted of their fellow classmates and professors. The majority of them were crying, but some were just an unhealthy shade of off-white and looked like they didn't know just what to do with themselves.

"What's going on?" Elphaba asked frantically.

One of the girls with a tear-streaked face turned around and gulped, "Doctor Dillamond is dead!"


	10. Chapter 10

Yoo-hoo! Readers? Are you guys still here?

**Disclaimer:** Story's mine, not the characters.

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Elphaba's hand flew to her mouth and she came closer to crying than Galinda had ever seen her get. She pushed to the front of the group of grieving people but was pushed back by the professors guarding the lecture hall. Elphaba had only just opened her mouth to demand that they let her through when Madame Morrible came sweeping through the courtyard. The flowing trim of her purple gown looked like a giant fishtail dragging on the stone and its hanging sleeves resembled fins, making her look even more like a fish than usual. She clapped her hands commandingly and the throng swung around to see who it was. Her presence was enough to make everyone back against the walls and momentarily pause their laments to let her through. Only Elphaba remained, unflinching, in front of the doors.

"Move," said Madame Morrible.

"No," said Elphaba, just as simply.

"I am ordering you to move!" Morrible said. She wasn't at all used to being disobeyed.

"Tell me what happened to Doctor Dillamond," Elphaba said stubbornly.

"I don't know, you stupid girl," Morrible said, enunciating clearly, causing Elphaba to flush, "What do you think I'm doing here?"

Elphaba looked at her feet.

"Now move!"

Beaten, Elphaba shuffled away from the doorway and over to Galinda. She still seemed embarrassed but uttered a stream of curses about Morrible that compensated for it.

Morrible hurried inside, and even through the heavy wooden doors, the students could hear her loud groan of disgust. Galinda realized with a start that Dillamond's body must be in the lecture hall itself. Morrible swept out again and told them in clipped tones that they had the class and the day off and that they should go find something fun to do.

Most of the girls bustled away, much too cheery and bright for the occasion, but Elphaba stayed behind, despite Galinda tugging on her sleeve.

"Madame Morrible," Elphaba said.

"What do you want now?" asked Morrible, clearly annoyed.

"Please tell me what happened."

"Doctor Dillamond died."

"But _how_?" Elphaba asked, losing her last vestiges of patience.

Morrible glared at her for her impertinence and said in haughty tones, "Well, _my dear_, his neck is bloody and there are shards of a broken lens, so I assume that he fell against it and slit his own throat. By accident, of course."

"Accident," Elphaba repeated incredulously.

"Yes, Miss Elphaba, that is what I said. You are not, however similar your coloring, a parrot. I have to ask you to leave now, girls. I've important matters to take care of. I not only have to deal with moving the body, but I must find a replacement teacher as well as the culprit," Morrible said stiffly. Without even waiting to ensure that the girls had left, Morrible strode away, back in the direction of her office.

"C'mon, Elphie," Galinda said, pulling on Elphaba's dress.

Elphaba noted the note of fear in Galinda's voice but only swatted her away. "You can leave, Galinda," she said, "But I'm going to find out what happened to Dillamond."

Elphaba moved to the now-unguarded doors but paused for a moment to take a deep breath before opening them. While her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room compared to the sunlight outside, Elphaba stood silently, vaguely aware of Galinda hesitantly following behind her. Just as her eyes adjusted, Elphaba leaped backwards and covered Galinda's mouth with a green hand just in time to squelch an early scream.

Galinda mumbled ineffectually into her roommate's hand until the shock of what she was seeing had passed. Elphaba, in the meantime, looked as if she were going to be sick.

Dillamond's body, while not terribly mangled, was laying across one of the lab tables as though he had been carelessly tossed there. There was blood everywhere, but it was already a very deep red and had congealed. Galinda, though she was concentrating on not retching, was amazed at how much blood could come from one deep slash to the neck.

Elphaba, with a hand over her mouth and nose, began to explore the room. Just as Morrible had said, one of Dillamond's magnifying lenses lay broken on the floor. However, there was no blood on the edges of the glass. Elphaba glanced back to see that Galinda had sat down on one of the lecture hall chairs. Her legs were held tightly against her body and she had her hands over her eyes.

"You can leave if you want, Galinda," Elphaba said softly.

Galinda shook her head violently but said nothing, as if she didn't trust herself to open her mouth should something unpleasant fall out.

Elphaba turned back to her investigation but did her best not to come too close to Dillamond's body. When she was forced to, she tried not to look at him. Unfortunately, that first view she'd had of his lifeless face when she walked in the room seemed to be stamped on her retinas and she found tears welling up in her eyes. She shook herself mentally and dried her eyes. She bent to look at the broken lens and noticed what her eyes hadn't registered before. Dillamond's blood couldn't have gotten all the way over here, and yet, it was on the floor. Instead of a puddle, like the rest of the blood, this blood was in three parallel lines, each about six inches apart. Elphaba studied it for a moment, wondering what could have created the lines. When her revelation came, it nearly smacked her in the face.

"Where in Oz are we going?" Galinda cried as Elphaba dragged her through the central courtyard. Galinda was running as fast as she could to keep up with Elphaba's longer-legged jog and to prevent her hand from being snapped off.

Elphaba didn't answer. She chose instead to speed up her pace, almost pulling Galinda over.

They burst into Miss Ozma's office, surprising the woman from a cat nap on her desk.

"What is it?" she asked, sleepy and annoyed, "I haven't gotten your latest test graded yet, no."

"This isn't about our test," Elphaba said breathlessly, "Doctor Dillamond has been murdered!"

Ozma looked as if this was news to her, but not as though she were surprised. "Well," she said, "he was a Goat. He knew it was going to happen eventually, as did the rest of us."

If Ozma's apathy bothered Elphaba, she didn't show it. Instead, she plowed on, "Well, I know who killed him!"

"Do tell," Ozma said, straightening a stack of papers. Galinda would have found this suspicious if she hadn't known that Ozma was always like this.

"Do you know that stupid little tiktok thing of Morrible's?" Elphaba asked.

Ozma looked up, "Are you implying that Grommetik killed Dillamond?"

"Not _implying_, no," Elphaba said, "I'm flat-out _saying_ that he did."

Ozma put on a pair of glasses and studied Elphaba with new interest. "You're very outspoken, Miss...?"

"Thropp. Miss Thropp," Elphaba said, "You taught me last term and are still teaching me."

"Yes, yes, I know _that_," Ozma said, "You're green. I remember that much. Just not your name."

There was a rather awkward silence and Galinda wondered if Elphaba had actually had a plan when coming here.

"Well, what should I do, Ozma?" Elphaba asked.

"Do? What should you _do_? You _should_ do something, but you _can't_. At least, not effectively. If Morrible and her damn mechanical man are the cause of this, they'll have covered themselves far too well for you to ever get them caught."

Elphaba spluttered.

"I'm sorry, Miss Thropp, but I can't do anything to help you. Good day!" said Ozma, ushering them out of her office.

Elphaba stared at Galinda for a moment in the hallway, and Galinda saw the glimmer of action go out of her roommate's eyes. Elphaba walked dispiritedly back toward their dorm room.

"Elphie? Elphaba!" Galinda said, rushing after her, "Aren't you going to tell someone else? Don't give up!"

"Galinda, the only thing to do is give up. Ozma's right. Morrible is better at covering her ass than a floor-length skirt. It's pointless to even try," Elphaba said in a monotone that scared the shit out of Galinda.


	11. Chapter 11

An update! Finally! Sorry, guys, but the end of the year is not a fun time. I have exams coming up so updates are going to be sparse for a while. Anyway, I've decided not to have Galinda change her name. It just didn't seem plausible in the story, and I prefer the name Galinda anyway. ) Happy reading!

**To Fidel Castro:** I don't mind negative reviews. What I do mind is negative reviews that have absolutely no constructive criticism. We call those flames and they are unappreciated on this site. But even that wouldn't have been so bad if you hadn't been cowardly enough to be anonymous. If you're going to flame, the least you can do is make sure that the author can get in touch with you to find out what the flamer would recommend to make their fiction better. However, I did glean one compliment from your review. You managed to indirectly call my fic one of the best on this site, and for that I thank you, whether or not it was intentional.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Just like they haven't been for the past 10 posts.

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"My name is Professor Nikidik. Following the tragic and accidental death of Doctor Dillamond, I will be your new life sciences teacher. We'll start with a demonstration involving the reaction of iodine and..." Elphaba tuned out their new professor after this point. She had decided, right after seeing him, to not even give him a chance. For the most part, the other students seemed to be ignoring him as well, but that was just how they responded to science teachers in general. Besides, they had more pressing things to be thinking about. Following Dillamond's death, Crage Hall had not only inherited the boys' life sciences teacher, but the boys as well. This was the college's first (and if Morrible could help it, last) co-ed class.

The only plus to this that Elphaba could see was that she now shared a class with Boq. She was a bit surprised to see how clumsy he was around girls. After they had spent so much time together, he was completely at ease around her, but a classroom-full of giggling college debutantes seemed to guarantee his running into anything that stayed still long enough. Even sitting safely in his desk he had managed to drop his books and pencil four times, each time returning to his seat with a flush the size of the Gillikin.

"Class dismissed," said Nikidik a frustrating hour-and-a-half later. The class poured from the hall for their lunch break. Because the weather was finally warm enough, Galinda, Elphaba, Galinda's group of friends, and the tag-along Nessa had started eating lunch in the courtyard outside the school cafeteria. Today, Boq and Avaric joined them.

"What do you think of Professor Nikidik?" Galinda asked Elphaba carefully.

"Nikidik?" Elphaba asked, "More like 'Niki-Dick Head,'" she said, eliciting a chuckle from the two boys.

Galinda sighed. This is what she had been worried about. Her friend hadn't even given Nikidik a chance after losing Dillamond. Before she could pursue the subject, Elphaba very pointedly turned away and ate her quiche in Nessa's direction.

It was in the middle of a bite of her very healthy salad that Galinda saw the carriage approaching the front gates of Shiz.

She tapped ShenShen with her free hand and jabbed Elphaba in the side with her elbow while pointing with her fork to the near-parade that followed the fancy coach.

Elphaba downed a swig of her tea ponderously. "Wonder who that is," she said.

"It's bound to be someone rich!" exclaimed Pfannee, already primping her hair and checking her teeth in a small handheld mirror that she seemed able to whip out a moment's notice from her form-fitting bodice.

The coach stopped stolidly in front of the main gates and they opened as they had been enchanted to by Morrible herself.

A reveler on a white horse behind the carriage hopped down and played a short fanfare on a bugle. "Presenting his royal Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus! Son of Gathor, son of Truman, son of Yoorn."

"A prince!" exclaimed ShenShen, Pfannee, and Galinda in harmony with accompanying squeals. When the prince actually descended from the red plush interior of his carriage, the squeals turned into something closer to crazed shrieks, and not just from the three girls beside Elphie. Most of the female population of the courtyard were having fits. That is, except for the green girl and her sister. Elphaba just rolled her eyes and Nessa pretended to be completely oblivious, as if her holiness put her above any attraction to dashingly handsome (and rich!) princes.

"Thank you, thank you," Prince Fiyero said to both his bugler and the screaming girls in a voice that practically made a mess all over the courtyard with the overflowing confidence it exuded. He flashed a dazzling white smile and winked in the general direction of the courtyard. Spontaneously, the more dramatic of the girls faked graceful fainting spells while squinting through nearly-closed eyes in his direction to see if he was paying any attention.

"That lucky son of a bitch," muttered Avaric, fervently wishing he had been born a prince.

Fiyero's entrance gained so much gossip that Elphaba felt she might puke if she had to hear another word about his good looks, royal status, and rumored sexual god-ship. She was dismayed to learn that he would be sharing her life sciences class.

Later that week, at their second class with Nikidik, Prince Fiyero walked in five minutes after the class had started, flipping his hair all the way to his seat and earning the attention he had apparently been craving.

"Who are you? You're late," stated Nikidik mid-lecture.

"Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus," he replied smoothly.

Nikidik nodded with a smile, "Oh. All right, then," and continued teaching.

Elphaba ripped a corner off her paper and wrote a quick note to Boq.

Boq jumped a foot when her note hit him squarely on his Munchkin nose, but he covered it up with a mock sneeze. When he read her message, he snickered quietly and scrawled a message back.

After he had passed it back, she read what she herself had written in her small, tidy cursive. "Why do the rest of us get a lecture if we show up half a second late but that little snot just gets a smile? Niki-Dick Head seems a tad corrupt, doesn't he?" and his responding large, loopy print, "We'd get smiles if we were shoved up his ass as far as Monsieur Prince is. All the teachers do it. It's even worse at Briscoe."

Elphaba made a face at him and watched as all the girls anywhere close to where Fiyero was sitting stared at him, including Galinda. In fact, she noticed, _especially_ Galinda. And it was her blonde roommate that Fiyero was paying attention back to. Elphaba saw him wink at her. It took all her self-control to not grab her textbook and bring it down on his royal head.

Unfortunately, Galinda and Fiyero not only continued flirting, but Galinda began inviting him to join them on their weekend excursions. Elphaba very seriously considered stopping going on these trips but she felt that she had to go along to make sure that Fiyero didn't get to friendly with what was hers. Elphaba didn't like the possessiveness of Galinda that Fiyero brought out in her, and she reminded herself as often as she could that she didn't own Galinda.

On one of these weekends, Galinda had planned a trip down to the Suicide Canal for a picnic lunch. Elphaba accepted, as did Boq, Avaric, Nessa (though she had never technically been invited), ShenShen, Pfannee, and, unfortunately, Fiyero.

"How do I look?" Galinda asked with a squeal, leaping from the bathroom where she had just finished with her hair and makeup. She had fretted over what to wear all week, deciding that she would have to break out the big guns to impress Fiyero. Elphaba had rightly assumed that this meant she would be wearing her most revealing dress. As Galinda stood expectantly waiting to be reviewed, Elphaba took in her many brightly-colored frills and extravagant accessories and was afraid for a moment that she would melt like candy out in the sun. After this initial fear passed, Elphaba took in her neckline. It was cut in a dangerous V that left just enough to the imagination to leave Elphaba staring.

"Elphie?" interrupted Galinda's voice.

"Hmm?" asked Elphaba, barely glancing up.

"Why are you staring at my chest?"

Elphaba's head snapped up. "Um. What? I wasn't staring at your…your…" Elphaba gave up and gestured weakly at Galinda's breast region.

"Yes, Elphaba, you were," Galinda said. She sounded more confused than angry.

"Well," Elphaba said, quickly trying to rectify her lapse, "there's something on your bodice. Right there," she said, pointing. Then she hurried off to 'grab the book she had left at the library', leaving Galinda to look in vain for the invisible stain on her chest.


	12. Chapter 12

All right guys, I know it's been awhile, but I'm going to have to ask you to forgive me...again. As soon as exams and school were done, I traipsed off to Europe and only got back late last night. Speaking of which, I got see the Garnier Opera House (the Phantom of the Opera's abode), the Moulin Rouge, a poster for Aida in Milan, and several other non-musical related things! Anyway, here's the next chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I may be a tad conceited, but not enough to claim these characters.

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"Elphaba, come _on_!" whined Galinda, stamping a foot, "I mean, _really_! Why must you choose today of all days to take longer than me to get ready? Fiyero," she paused, "...and everyone else...is waiting for us, and if you don't hurry up, I'm going to leave without you."

Elphaba ignored her comment. "Galinda, which dress should I wear?"

"Since when have you cared!" Galinda exclaimed, "All your dresses look the same! Just pick one! Please?"

Elphaba sighed and grabbed her navy shift off its hanger. If she kept up her stalling technique it was going to cause one of Galinda's important insides to pop. Elphaba gave up mainly because she didn't want that mess all over the floor. The truth was, though, that she wanted to keep Galinda from going down to the lake with Fiyero for as long as possible. She was terrified of Galinda's obvious infatuation with the prince, and even more by his frightening attraction for her.

Galinda grabbed a green arm and tugged her all the way down the stairs, stopping on the way to pick up Nessa.

"Oh my Lurline," Galinda breathed as they reached the doorway out to the courtyard where everyone was meeting.

"What's wrong?" Elphaba asked.

"My hair..." Galinda said, peering at her reflection in the glass door.

"Nothing's wrong with it," Elphaba said, certain that she would never understand the girl.

"I know! It's prettier than it's ever been!" Galinda squealed.

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

Galinda flounced into the courtyard, perfect hair bouncing on her shoulders.

Boq stood up quickly from where he had been sitting on one of the tables and bowed extravagantly to Galinda, Avaric rolled his eyes at his short friend's eagerness, and Fiyero simply nodded to the girls and grinned at Galinda from where he slumped against a nearby tree. Elphaba realized for the first time just how much competition she had. ShenShen sighed dramatically from her spot on Avaric's lap.

"Can we leave already?" she asked, "What took you so long, Galinda?"

"If you can believe it, it wasn't me. It was Elphaba."

"You can't blame your vanity on your roommate," Pfannee said sniffily. Both she and ShenShen had been considerably colder to Galinda lately out of jealousy for Fiyero's attentions.

"Let's just go," Galinda suggested, and the group tromped down to the canal in a chattering mass, the large picnic basket Boq had packed for them switching hands every few minutes.

Elphaba strayed to the back of the group to push Nessa's chair so she had a great view of Fiyero casually grabbing Galinda's ass as they descended the hill to the water. She found herself glaring at his offending hand and despising how Galinda jumped a little, giggled, and slapped him playfully.

Galinda picked a shady spot under a trio of thick-leaved trees a few feet away from the canal and laid out the picnic blanket and sat down. The girls all joined her and the boys faked falling into the canal until Avaric actually pushed Boq in.

The Munchkin came out sopping, swearing, and embarrassed as hell. He ended up sulking on his quickly soaked corner of picnic blanket.

"So," Galinda said once the boys had all joined them on the picnic blanket and sandwiches were being passed around, "tell us about the Vinkus, _Prince_ Fiyero." She enunciated the 'prince' and smirked at Pfannee and ShenShen.

"Well," he said, swallowing his bite of sandwich, "it's in the middle of nowhere, pretty much. I don't know what they'll do without me; I was the only exciting thing out there."

"What's the culture like?" Boq asked curiously, lured from his pout.

"Boring," he said, "I like here a lot better. More pretty girls." He grinned at Galinda for several long seconds before Elphaba interrupted just to stop it.

"Do you feel like your being here actually serves a purpose?" she asked nastily.

He looked at her in surprise and she got the sudden feeling that he had never noticed her or even her skin before. He stared at her for a long beat.

"What do you mean?" he asked warily.

"Have you actually learned anything since you've been here?" she asked.

"I--" Fiyero started.

"That's enough, Miss Elphaba," Galinda said with a glare that silenced the green girl for once.

By the end of the outing, Elphaba didn't feel as if she were the only one who regretted coming. Fiyero insisted on whispering who-knew-what into Galinda's ear the whole time, hand-holding, and gooey, drawn-out stares between the two that disgusted everyone with them. But they were completely oblivious to Boq, ShenShen, and Pfannee's glares, Elphaba's snide comments, Nessa's warnings of impurity, and Avaric's unsuccessful attempts to return ShenShen's attention to himself.

"Galinda," prompted Elphaba as the two returned to their room that evening.

"Hmm?" asked Galinda, in a way that suggested that she wasn't even listening.

"You're going the wrong way," Elphaba said quietly.

Galinda giggled, "Sorry! There's just so much on my mind, you know?"

"No, I don't really know, actually."

Galinda selective hearing had already turned on, however, and she was ignoring her friend. "Fiyero is _so_ handsome, don't you think?"

"Not really," supplied Elphaba.

"I think we'll be married," Galinda breezed on, "What do you think?"

"I think you're being silly."

"What color dress should I wear? I suppose white _is_ the traditional, but that just seems so boring...What color looks best on me, Elphie?"

"If you're going to keep asking questions and then ignoring my answers, I'm not taking part in this conversation."

"Pink would be nice, wouldn't it? The bridesmaids could always wear white, just so there's some white in the wedding. Can't have people gossiping about my purity, but I want a prettier dress than anyone else, of course..."

Elphaba completely stopped talking and let Galinda chatter to herself, instead. She noticed with some bitter amusement that every time Galinda asked a question, she simply paused a moment, as if to give Elphaba a chance to answer, and then plunged on without even acknowledging her silence.

They spent the whole walk back to the dorms this way and before Galinda would even go to sleep, she insisted on giving Elphaba a run down of all the cute things Fiyero did and how each of his facial features were superior to any other guys. After a while, she fell asleep with a happy sigh, though Elphaba remained awake for hours, staring at the ceiling.


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, so this isn't the longest chapter, but the next update should be up soon. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'em.

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"Elphie, what are you doing?" Galinda asked her early the following morning, "It's Sunday."

"I'm sorry I woke you," Elphaba told her.

Galinda yawned and sat up. "It's okay. But really, what are you doing?"

"Getting ready."

"I can see that," Galinda said, getting frustrated, "But what for?"

"I'm going to see Madame Morrible," Elphaba said, "I haven't given up on Dillamond," she added when Galinda gave her a questioning look.

"He's dead, Elphaba," she said gently.

"I know that, but I _will_ find out who murdered him."

"I thought you had given this up, Elphie. Don't you remember what Miss Ozma said?"

"Why should I care what she says? I have to try, at least."

"But you've waited too long to question it now, don't you think?" Galinda asked, trying to be rational.

"Better late than never," Elphaba replied and left before Galinda could say another word.

**PAGEBREAKPAGEBREAKPAGEBREAK**

Elphaba knocked harder than necessary on Morrible's office door.

"Who is it?" her voice called from inside.

"Elphaba Thropp."

"Well, Miss Thropp, I am rather busy at the moment," Morrible said through the door.

"It's about Nessa," Elphaba said.

"Oh! Well then, come in, come in!" Morrible crowed.

Elphaba did as she was told and took a seat in one of the cushy chairs in front of the college head. Madame Morrible herself sat behind a meticulously organized mahogany desk.

"Now, what is wrong with Miss Nessarose?" Morrible asked breathlessly.

"Nothing, as far as I know."

Morrible looked confused.

"Did you ever find out who killed Doctor Dillamond?" Elphaba asked.

"Dilla--?" Morrible spluttered, "Why, you manipulative little girl! _No one_ killed the Goat. He died in a tragic accident."

"How exactly did that occur?" Elphaba asked.

"I've already told you! He just slipped onto one of those glass lenses he always insisted on using and slit his own throat. Terrible, to be sure, but not a murder."

"Then why didn't any of the pieces of the broken lens have blood on them?" Elphaba asked shrewdly.

"How do you--?" Morrible gasped, "You went in there, didn't you, you wicked girl?"

Elphaba's silence gave her plenty answer.

"You had no permission to go in there!" Morrible cried, "I could have you expelled for this!"

"Go ahead," Elphaba said calmly, "I'm sure my father would love to hear about that."

Elphaba had delivered her masterstroke and it rendered Morrible speechless for a full minute.

"Your fa-father?" she asked, clutching at her bosom.

"Yes. And I'm sure he would remove Nessarose from this school as well," Elphaba said, eyeing her.

Morrible turned an unhealthy shade of white, "Nessa? Yes, I suppose he would..." she said helplessly, like a dying fish, but quickly regained her composure, "I will not expel you this time, Miss Elphaba, but if you were expecting some sort of admission of guilt regarding Dillamond's death, you are going to be sorely disappointed. I will never admit to something like that," she paused, "Of course, there's nothing for me to even admit to!"

Elphaba looked crestfallen; she had been certain that Morrible would crack under the pressure.

"Now let me ask you a question, Miss Frog," Morrible said nastily, "Why do you care so much?"

"Because he was killed on the basis that he was an Animal," Elphaba answered promptly.

"He wasn't killed!" Morrible screeched, "So, unless his lab equipment has a prejudice against Animals, his death was an accident, not some sort of hate crime. How many people have you told of your silly little theory, Miss Elphaba?"

"Enough."

Morrible frowned to herself, "It is time for you to leave now, Miss Thropp."

"So, you really believe that it was an accident that killed him?" Elphaba asked coolly.

"Yes!" Morrible said, a tad too quickly.

"Then perhaps you should keep a better eye on your tiktok man," Elphaba told her and left her to splutter alone.


	14. Chapter 14 The End

This will be the last chapter of Our Days at Dear Old Shiz. I would've given you more of a warning, but I thought it would keep going for at least a few more chapters. I'm sorry. Also, I have never been so nervous to post a chapter before. Anyway, thank you so much for reading my story and I hope you enjoyed it.

**Disclaimer:** I haven't claimed Wicked yet, so it unlikely that I will do so in the last chapter of this story.

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"How did it go?" Galinda asked when Elphaba returned.

"Like a broken tiktok man," Elphaba said sourly, "She wouldn't admit to anything."

"Did you really expect her to?" Galinda asked, brushing her hair.

"I had hoped. Instead she just tried to expel me..."

"Expel you?!" Galinda exclaimed.

"Yes. But it wasn't hard to get out of that. I just told her that if I were expelled, my father would take Nessa out of Shiz," Elphaba said.

"Why would that matter to her?" Galinda asked.

"My father has been paying her quite a bit to ensure that she takes care of his favorite daughter, Galinda."

"That must be hard for him."

Elphaba looked at her roommate, confused by this response.

"Well, all that money..." Galinda said, trying to explain without being blunt.

Elphaba seemed to catch on, "Oh. My family has plenty money for such things, Galinda."

This was news to Galinda, but before she could respond, there was a knock on the door. It was one of the girls of the dormitory.

"There's to be an assembly in the North Wing lecture hall," the girl said.

"When?" Galinda asked, still brushing her hair.

"Right now!" the girl exclaimed.

"But it's Sunday!" Galinda said indignantly, but the girl had already moved on to the next room. Galinda turned, "Elphie, we have to--"

"I heard," Elphaba interrupted grimly.

"Well, let me put my makeup on," Galinda said, heading for the bathroom, but Elphaba grabbed her.

"No. The assembly is right _now_. Let's go," Elphaba told her firmly.

"But my makeup--!"

"No."

The lecture hall was already becoming full when the two girls arrived. Elphaba was surprised to see that the boys from Briscoe Hall were here as well. Many of the room's occupants looked as though they had only just woken up, and many of the girls had brought brushes and makeup with them and were hurriedly fixing themselves up.

When the lecture hall appeared to contain all of Shiz's students, Morrible clambered ungracefully onto the stage and clapped her hands.

"Students," she said loudly, "It has come to my attention that there is some unrest about the semi-recent death of Doctor Dillamond. Because we never had an assembly about this event at the time of its occurring, we are having one now."

Most of the students looked bored by this news, but Boq and Galinda shot Elphaba significant glances.

"Dillamond died in an accident involving a broken glass lens," Morrible told them, "His throat was slit by an unfortunate fall into this lens. His death was very sad, and I speak for us all when I say that we miss him," she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and even managed to conjure a sniffle, "Of course, some of you seem to be under the impression that his death was more than a simple accident, and I've even heard that some of you believe that his death was caused by the politics of his species."

This statement got a few of the students' attentions, and a hushed muttering began.

"Let me assure that his death was indeed an accident and not because he is..._was_ a Goat. Those of you who are such strong advocates of Animal rights," here Morrible gave a chuckle, as though she thought such beliefs were ludicrous, "can be assuaged. Thank you."

"What's she got against Animal rights?" Elphaba heard a boy beside her ask, and she smiled to herself. Morrible's little speech had done exactly the opposite of what she had hoped. Now people who had never questioned Dillamond's death were beginning to. Morrible was her own worst enemy.

**PAGEBREAKPAGEBREAKPAGEBREAK**

"What're you grinning about, Elphaba Thropp?" Boq asked her with a smile after the assembly.

"I think my chat with Morrible might've done some good after all. Maybe Animal rights are within our grasp," Elphaba said excitedly.

"Well, perhaps, Elphie, but aren't you getting a little carried away?" Boq asked her.

"No! Besides, I've decided that I'm going to bring up Dillamond's murder to someone who can actually do something."

"And who would that be?"

"The Wizard."

Boq gaped, "_The_ Wizard?"

"No," Elphaba said sarcastically, "The other one."

"But, Elphie, well...wow," Boq said.

"Wow?" Elphaba asked with an edge in her voice.

"Yes. Wow. You want to go see _the_ Wizard right now?" Boq squeaked.

"No, of course not _now_. I thought I would wait until summer holidays," Elphaba told him offhandedly.

"You're just a student! Who's going to listen to you?"

"I'm green, Boq. It isn't hard for me to get attention."

"Yeah, but--"

"I'm going back to my room. I've got things to plan," Elphaba interrupted, "Galinda, are you coming?" She turned to see that her roommate was busy. With Fiyero's lips.

Elphaba blushed.

Galinda guiltily extracted herself from his arms, "Um, actually, Elphie, I think I'm going to stay down here for a bit...if you don't mind?"

Elphaba flushed and nearly punched Fiyero's fat royal head, but she choked out, "No, I don't mind. Have fun."

"Something the matter, Elphie?" Boq asked when he saw her face.

"No. Nothing at all. Goodbye, Boq," she said in monotone and walked stiff-leggedly back to the dorms.

When Galinda did come to the room, she thought at first that someone had trashed the room. Instead, Elphaba sat on the floor, throwing things into a suitcase with more force than strictly necessary.

"What are you doing?" Galinda asked slowly.

"Packing," Elphaba's voice was hard.

"Why?" Galinda questioned, trying her hardest to sound calm.

"That is what people generally do when they are leaving somewhere."

"Elphaba, what is this about? Why are you leaving?"

"Maybe I realized that staying here is pointless. I can make a difference, but not if I'm here," Elphaba told her, avoiding her eyes.

"Elphie...this isn't like you," Galinda told her.

"I know. Neither is this," Elphaba said, crossing the room. She leaned in and kissed her roommate like she had wanted to since she had first seen her. Galinda didn't push her away, but she didn't return the kiss either. When Elphaba backed away, Galinda looked completely shocked.

"Elphie...?" she asked.

"No," Elphaba said sadly, "No, I didn't think so. I have to go. Goodbye, Galinda," She tore from the room with her suitcase, leaving Galinda to stand with an open mouth in her wake. It was just as well that she had ruined everything with her before leaving. At least now she could focus on her meeting with the Wizard without being distracted. Galinda had always been a lost cause; she knew that. But the Animals were not. Not yet. She wouldn't be back to Shiz. It was time for her to move on. She was off to see the Wizard.


End file.
